


Cat and Mouse

by SusyLurks



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-01-25 18:24:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18580069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SusyLurks/pseuds/SusyLurks
Summary: You grabbed your phone from where it was balanced on your stomach, and brought it up to your face. Green lines of code ran eerily down the screen, instead of the internet radio app you had open. The hell was this?! The lines suddenly came to a stop on the black background, and the screen was still.Unknown: …Hello…?You stared at the message that appeared beside a faceless profile icon. There was an empty text bar at the bottom of the screen. You began typing and pressed send.When a stranger contacts you through a mysterious app with a strange request, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. But then again, neither do they.





	1. Prologue

**Prologue**

 

_Here kitty, kitty_

_There’s too much demon blood_

_In these self appointed angels_

_Acting like you’re comatose_

_Speaking like a country rose_

_Or a preacher’s pet in drag_

_Banging on a kettledrum_

_Won’t make you notice me_

_Though you’re bored beyond belief_

_Suckin’ on an old man’s thumb_

_Man it makes me feel so numb_

_Gonna teach you how to make it feel good_

_I’ll be your nightmare mirror_

_Do what you do to me_

_I’ll be your nightmare mirror_

_Colder than a steel blade_

Demon Kitty Rag, Katzenjammer

 

 

 

You stared up at the ceiling and let your eyes drift in and out of focus, to see if the cracks, water stains, and cheap stucco would form patterns that might make it remotely interesting.

 

Nope.

 

Still the same bland, neutral colored surface it was five minutes ago. Like how the walls beneath it were a bland, _different_ neutral color. And the carpet. Like the person who had painted it thought picking three clashing neutral colors would make the room feel less like the inside of an asylum, rather than the thing that sent someone there. The only things that stood out were the dark sheets, chosen presumably to hide suspicious stains, and the curtains that covered the room’s sole window, chosen presumably by someone colorblind who thought they matched the bedding. If you had learned anything from the days you had spent staring at these walls, it was that the room was ugly, and that you were insufferably _bored_.

You fidgeted on the bed. Even if it were possible to get comfortable on this mattress, you couldn’t lie still right now. You being bored was a problem. When you were bored, you managed to find trouble. Idle hands and whatnot. Although, your hands tended to be the devil’s tools when you were working too, you chuckled to yourself. But you could hardly be blamed for that. The time between jobs was hell, and this place was not helping. You could feel the lack of activity settling under your skin like a swarm of insects. There was nothing to do in this tiny room. The window faced a concrete wall. The wifi couldn’t even handle streaming Metflix. The most interesting thing that had happened was being forced to hear a couple having sex through the pitifully thin walls, and getting to shout, “ _She’s faking it! Try harder!_ ” loud enough for them to hear you.

You sighed and sprawled out further on your back, with your knees up. At least you had music, even if you were too stir crazy right now to really enjoy it. You had gotten sick of listening to the clock on the wall tick maddeningly loud in the silence like the goddamn cliché it was. Who the fuck even still _had_ clocks like that in hotel rooms anymore?! You glanced at where it now laid dismantled on the floor, and tossed the battery in your hand up and caught it again. …You’d fix it later.

The cheap bed shook slightly as you bounced your leg up and down in time with the beat playing through your headphones. You swung your hips a bit as the chorus started, trying to get into the music. Maybe you should actually get up and dance. Or try working out again. You could wander the halls, explore the building… Your thoughts were ended by oppressive silence as the song cut out.

 “Fucking piece of shit wifi!”

You grabbed your phone from where it was balanced on your stomach, and brought it up to your face. Green lines of code ran eerily down the screen, instead of the internet radio app you had open. The hell was _this_?! The lines suddenly came to a stop on the black background, and the screen was still.

 

**Unknown: …Hello…?**

You stared at the message that appeared beside a faceless profile icon. There was an empty text bar at the bottom of the screen. You began typing and pressed send.

 

**Lily: Yes, God? It’s me, Lily...**

 

Your eyes widened. What the _fuck_?! Your name sat next to the chat bubble like a username. How hell was your name already in this thing?!?

 

**Unknown: Can you see this?**

 

You snorted to yourself.

 

**Lily: No, I’m blind you insensitive ass.**

**Lily: Who is this?**

 

**Unknown: What?**

**Unknown: Oh, you’re being sarcastic. …Right?**

**Unknown: Anyway… I’m sure you’re surprised.**

**Unknown: It’s not everyday you get a text from a stranger.**

**Unknown: I’m a bit flustered myself. I found a smartphone at the subway station, but all it had was this messenger app.**

**Unknown: I want to find the owner, but I don’t see any contact info or call records…**

**Unknown: I’ve been sending messages with this app but no reply…**

**Unknown: All I see is an address and some important-looking numbers saved in notes.**

**Unknown: I’d like to go there myself but I’m currently abroad…**

 

You glared at the block of messages on your phone. Surprised your _ass_. You didn’t download any messenger app. And this person, program, or whatever, knew your name before you typed it. You knew when you were being fucked with.

 

**Lily: Who is this?**

**Lily: Baptiste, si c’est toi, je vais te bouter.**

**Unknown: Me? Oh sorry. I didn’t even introduce myself.**

**Unknown: I don’t understand that second part…**

**Unknown: But I’m just… a student studying abroad. I’m Korean.**

**Unknown: I could tell you my name, but it doesn’t really matter.**

**Unknown: You won’t find me on search engines. ^^;**

**Unknown: But anyways…**

**Unknown: Can you help me find the owner of this phone?**

 

You laughed under your breath as you read. Whoever this was, and whatever they really wanted, they sure as hell weren’t getting it from you. Not with a scam this transparent. This person clearly had no idea what they were doing. You smirked as you typed.

 

**Lily: Uhg, lamest white rabbit mission ever**

**Unknown: What?**

**Lily: Come on, dude. The Natrix? Keep up.**

**Lily: _Follow the white rabbit, Neo_**

**Unknown: Um...**

**Unknown: I know you’re surprised to have someone suddenly pop up and ask you for a favor like this.**

**Unknown: But still…**

**Unknown: I’d appreciate it if you could help.**

**Lily: \^o^/ Of course! I do what nameless strangers on the internet tell me to all the time!**

**Lily: Is this the part where you ask me for money so you can “pay for international shipping” to send it back to Korea?**

**Lily: And promise to pay me back way more than I send you once you get back?**

**Unknown: …What?**

**Lily: Are you a Nigerian prince?**

**Unknown: …No? I’m Korean?**

**Unknown: I don’t want your money…**

**Unknown: To be honest, I have a religion.**

**Unknown: My religion says that you must not miss any opportunities to do good, no matter how small.**

**Unknown: I can’t help but think about how stressed the owner might be…**

**Unknown: I would really like to find the owner.**

**Unknown: Then God will be happy.**

**Unknown: Since you’re the only clue I have…**

**Unknown: Can you please help me? I’ll make it up to you if I get to go back to Korea.**

**Unknown: It’s a really safe place. If you feel unsafe, you can turn around.**

**Unknown: I know the area. It’s developed.**

**Unknown: Please?**

**Lily: LOL. No. YOU feel unsafe.**

**Lily: Phone’s yours now. Take the SIM out and sell it.**

**Unknown: …You’re a very suspicious person, aren’t you?**

**Lily: To creeps who deserve it ^^**

**Unknown: Creeps?...^^;**

**Unknown: I’m not a creep.**

**Unknown: Haven’t you ever heard of the saying ‘you get a treat if you listen to older men’…?**

**Lily: Only from those nice men on the street corner! ^o^**

**Unknown: …**

**Unknown: Sorry. I was just kidding ^^;;;**

**Unknown: Anyways…**

**Unknown: I know I’m asking too much.**

**Unknown: You might think I’m odd.**

**Unknown: …I am a bit odd to be honest.**

**Unknown: But would you consider it? I’m talking to you right now.**

**Unknown: Two complete strangers at two completely different places… It’s a miracle we’ve connected.**

**Unknown: No one responded to my messages. You’re the first one.**

**Unknown: I don’t know how we got connected…**

**Unknown: But maybe this was meant to be?**

 

You rolled your eyes. Not really a miracle if they were hacking you. And yes, trying to lure strangers to your creepy secret address was _way_ beyond odd. An image of a young, handsome man with dark hair and green eyes, wearing a red plaid jacket appeared on your screen.

 

**Unknown: That is me in the photo.**

**Unknown: Maybe this will make you less suspicious…?**

**Unknown: I’m returning to Korea soon, so I’ll definitely make it up to you.**

**Unknown: If you feel unsafe near the place, you can just delete the app.**

**Unknown: Please I’m begging you.**

**Lily: O////O**

**Lily: …wow.**

**Lily: What a beautiful stock photo.**

**Lily: I’m sure you catfish all the suckers with that face and your virtuous do-gooder routine.**

**Unknown: What…?**

**Lily: And nice touch on the destiny bullshit. The girls must eat that up.**

**Lily: A little desperate though.**

**Lily: Well this has been fun, but I’m gonna go delete whatever the hell this is off my phone now!**

**Unknown: Wa**

**Unknown: it**

**Unknown: Don’t**

**Unknown: Go**

**Unknown: yet**

**Lily: BYE ^^**

 

You tapped your phone to go to your home screen and close the app. The screen remained the same. You tapped it again, and again nothing happened. What the _fuck_?!?! After the third time failed, you were angrily spamming the buttons, trying to get some kind of response from your phone. Was this ransomware?!?! Your smartphone remained as useless as a brick in your hands.

 

**Unknown: Are you sure you don’t want to help?**

 

Ok, _fuck_ this. You held down the power button on your phone, and felt a bit of satisfaction when the screen went dark. Until almost immediately the start up screen lit back up, and opened on the messenger, where the unanswered message waited tauntingly. 

 

**Lily: And what the HELL is THAT supposed to mean?!?!**

**Unknown: Nothing…**

**Unknown: Just that… It might do you some good**

**Unknown: To do something good for others.**

**Lily: EXCUSE me?**

**Unknown: I know I don’t really know you…**

**Unknown: But you seem like a very selfish person.**

**Unknown: Maybe doing something good might make up for something else.**

**Unknown: Do you have anything you want to make up for?**

 

Your hands tightened around your phone. This is why you hated hackers. You glanced at the wall to check the time, and then down to pieces of clock on the floor. …Right. It didn’t matter anyways. You had time. And now you finally had something to do. A dark smile spread over your face. Alright, hacker… you wanna play? _Let’s play_.

 

**Lily: What’s the address?**


	2. Lily Has Entered The Chatroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You took a cautious step forward. The second you crossed the threshold, a hollow, discordant tone played through your silent headphones.  
> “Son of a bitch!”  
> You startled and flailed a bit, pulling them out. Green code lines ran down the screen of your phone. You spun around to check the hallway, and turned back when you once again found it empty and silent. The only sound came from your phone. The tone stopped and the lines froze. The screen suddenly turned blue. A thin, translucent, gray bar with white text filled the bottom. 
> 
> Lily has entered the chatroom.

You kept your head down as you walked through the gloom toward the apartment complex ahead of you, hood pulled up tight. Your baggy brown hoodie engulfed your frame and hid both your face and the long brown wig you wore from view. The green backpack slung over your shoulder made you look like a student on their way back from class. To anyone watching, you were just another stranger finally making their way out of the constant drizzle of rain. You loved it when the weather cooperated.

You crossed the street, being sure to stay in the center of the group of pedestrians. No music played in your headphones as you finally approached the door. Whatever you had been expecting, it wasn’t a classy looking high rise on the nicer end of downtown. You weren't about to let your guard down, though. You knew better than most that a place like this could still be a front. The weight of the collapsible metal baton in your left pocket and the taser in your right were comforts as you pushed through the door without hesitation, like you lived there.

You only paused to wipe the water from your fake bangs. You used the motion to obscure your face with your sleeve while you scoped the lobby for cameras and exits. You continued on towards the elevator like you'd known where it was all along, and pressed the up call button with a gloved hand. The faintly striped doors opened almost immediately, and you stepped inside and pressed the button for the fourteenth floor. This building was nice, but apparently not nice enough to have key card access on the elevator or the stairs next to it. The red numbers climbed as you checked your phone, which was now sporting an improvised front camera cover made out of tape and paper.

 

**Unknown: Are you there yet?**

**Unknown: Did you get lost?**

**Unknown: Hello?**

 

You snorted to yourself. Like this fucker wasn’t already tracking your phone’s GPS. You got a smug satisfaction out of making him wait it out in silence while you doubled back a few times to check the area’s surveillance and make sure you weren’t being followed. You really _could_ have been several hours away from the address, but you weren’t going to admit that it was only a twenty minute drive from your hotel without him giving away that _he_ knew.

 

**Lily: I told you I had errands to run.**

**Lily: And YES, actually, I DID.**

**Lily: Cause I can’t use my GPS.**

**Lily: Cause my phone STILL won’t close this fucking app.**

**Unknown: Oh, sorry...**

**Unknown: Maybe your phone is broken?**

**Unknown: I don’t know a lot about this kind of thing…**

 

The elevator came to a stop with a ding, interrupting the massive eye roll you were giving your phone as if ‘Unknown’ could see you. With your head still down and phone in hand, you stepped out into the hallway of identical white doors. You counted them was you walked instead of looking up to see the numbers. You finally paused, and turned to the door on your right. You took a steadying breath as the familiar elation spread through your veins, quickening with your heart. This was the door.

 

**Unknown: Are you there? ^^ See. Nothing strange.**

 

_No, just your timing_. That was creepy as hell. You glanced the hallway again, listening for footsteps, movement, _anything_. Your smartphone’s GPS was good, but not _that_ good. You were sure you weren’t followed though. The hallway was empty. The lobby had been empty. You specifically chose a time when most people would be out. You felt the hair prick up on the back of your neck. That didn’t mean you weren’t being watched by someone inside one of the apartments. Someone inside _this_ apartment. You gripped the baton in your pocket.

 

**Unknown: Is there a password lock on the door?**

**Lily: Don’t see one.**

 

There was. The lock was different from all the others on this floor. The thin, black, rectangular plate had a magnetic card reader at the top, and keypad just beneath. The door handle was surrounded by a smaller square plate of stainless steel, where someone had been vain enough to engrave their initials encircled by a wreath of leaves.

 

**Unknown: That’s strange.**

**Unknown: There’s really nothing?**

**Unknown: There’s really nothing to put in the password?**

 

You smiled to yourself.

 

**Lily: I said I don’t see it.**

**Unknown: …**

**Unknown: Are you sure?**

**Lily: I said I don’t SEE one.**

**Lily: I TOLD you I was blind. How could you forget something like that?**

**Lily: I’m hurt.**

**Lily: Now are you going to give me the code or do I have to break the lock?**

**Unknown: You’re being sarcastic again.**

**Unknown: Thank god.**

**Unknown: I get that you want to joke around**

**Unknown: but if it’s too much, I might take it the wrong way.**

 

A message with a link attachment appeared on the screen. You tapped it open and began typing on the keypad.

 

**Unknown: Has anyone ever told you you’re kind of troublesome?**

 

You smirked as you typed in the last number in, and the lock whirred and gave a confirming beep.

 

**Lily: You have no idea.**

 

But you’re about to find out.

 

**Lily: Knock, knock…**

 

You wrapped your hand around the baton in your pocket, and pulled the door open to reveal…

 

No one.

An empty studio apartment. The room was dark; lit only by the dim, filtered rays that came through the rain spattered window, and the light from the hallway behind you. Your eye immediately went to the safe on the nightstand by the bed, but you forced your focus elsewhere. It was practically impossible to really hide in an apartment this size, but there were still doors, corners, closets, the bathroom… This place could still have surprises.

You took a cautious step forward. The second you crossed the threshold, a hollow, discordant tone played through your silent headphones.

“Son of a bitch!”

You startled and flailed a bit, pulling them out. Green code lines ran down the screen of your phone. You spun around to check the hallway, and turned back when you once again found it empty and silent. The only sound came from your phone. The tone stopped and the lines froze. The screen suddenly turned blue. A thin, translucent, gray bar with white text filled the bottom.

 

_Lily has entered the chatroom_ _._

 

A chat bubble appeared below it, next to a square profile picture of a smiling, blonde boy.

 

**Yoosung: Failed my midterms fml T_T**

 

Then, an animated crying emoji with matching blonde hair and crisscrossed bobby pins. You stared at your phone blankly. The fuck was this? Was _this_ your hacker? A weepy, bad student…?

 

**707: Cuz u played LOLOL all night lol.**

**Jumin Han: If you want to work for our company, you should take care of your GPA.**

**Yoosung: I’m still on the list?! +_+**

 

Another personalized emoji. You started with just one spammer, and now there were three. Now you had a shaggy ginger with glasses, and some stiff looking suit with perfectly parted black hair. A group of hackers? You looked up from your phone and glared at the apartment in suspicion. Were they here?

 

**Jumin Han: Yes.**

**707: Nice~ Can’t believe you get to work straight after college lol**

**707: In this day and age!**

 

You stepped further into the room and felt along the wall for a light switch, muscled tensed with anticipation. The ginger was right though, recent graduates faced significant barriers to entry in the workforce. Little shit probably didn’t even know how lucky he was to not be working for “experience”. Your phone provided weak light into the room around you as the screen lit from the incoming notifications.

 

**ZEN: Lame. It’s nepotism.**

**Jumin Han: It’s called recruitment actually.**

**ZEN: It’s giving a free pass instead of actually training the worker.**

**Jumin Han: Whatever. I couldn’t care less what you say.**

**ZEN: What’s the difference between recruitment and nepotism?**

**707: Thought they r the same? O_O?**

 

The ginger four eyes sent an animated confused emoji. You rolled your eyes. Now you had some albino, Kin Doll looking pretty boy. For a bizarre, mystery chat room, this conversation was incredibly… boring. They didn’t even seem to notice that you were there.

Finally, the room filled with light as your fingers found a switch and pressed it. All around you the apartment was covered in a thin layer of dust. Objects were scattered around the studio, as if still in use, like a lived in untidiness. Binders and notebooks were haphazardly placed back onto a shelf, some left out on a table, a rolling chair only halfway pushed under a desk. It might have looked as if someone had simply left for coffee if it were cleaner. Instead, the little signs of life seemed at odds with the neglect, and filled the room with the eerie stillness of a life stopped mid motion. You looked back behind you, and saw the slightly damp footprints your boots had made in the dust. The _only_ set of footprints. You were completely alone in this apartment.

 

**Jumin Han: It’s nepotism if you recruit a person and you know they aren’t of any help.**

**Yoosung: Oh… So you become a candidate for nepotism the same time you’re recruited!**

**707: Wait!!**

**Yoosung: Why?**

**ZEN: ??**

**707: Think someone entered the chat room;;**

**Jumin Han: Lily…?**

**ZEN: Wtf. How did it get in here?**

 

The less and less sense this all made, the less you liked being there. What kind of set up was this? Were there cameras in the apartment? You pulled your hood lower around your face. ‘Unknown’ had told you to leave a note. You stepped carefully towards the desk, inspecting it with mistrust. Finding nothing, you reached forward and wrote the password to the apartment on a pad of paper. You tore the sheet off and stuffed it in your pocket. Just in case.

 

**707: Hacker!**

**Yoosung: Hacker!? Therae’s a hacker in ouer rooml!!**

**Yoosung: Sevnee do somethign!!**

**ZEN: Hey, typos. -_-;;**

**707: Wait a sec. I’m searching.**

**Jumin Han: Who are you? Reveal yourself. Hey, Assistant Kang.**

**Jaehee Kang: Yes, I am here.**

**ZEN: You were so quiet I thought you went somewhere.**

**Jaehee Kang: Nothing was out of the ordinary so I was just watching**

**Jaehee Kang: But it seems something has just happened.**

 

You glanced back at the wide open door, giving clear view into the hallway. This apartment might be empty, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anyone across the hall waiting to move. You quietly made your way back to the door and pulled it shut on the security latch, propping it just the slightest bit ajar. You pressed yourself against the door, listening. You were out of view, but could see and hear anything coming from the hall. You had to be ready to move.

 

**Yoosung: omg**

**Jumin Han: Why is there a stranger in our chatroom?**

**Jaehee Kang:**

**Yoosung: I though Seven only let us download it?**

 

The frantic buzzing of your ignored phone finally caught your attention. Guess they did notice you. You scrolled up through the rapidly growing chat log to find where you left off. Nepotism… Nepotism...

 

A blonde confused emoji appeared on your screen. You empathized as its cartoon head titled back and forth, puzzled. Every scam had a payoff. So far, there was no reason for you to be in this apartment, this chat room.

 

**ZEN: Maybe someone downloaded it the app on two phones?**

**707: Maybe?**

**Jumin Han: Who downloaded it twice?**

**Yoosung: Not me!**

 

You gave an annoyed sigh. You came here for answers, and you were only going to get them one way… You began typing.

 

**Lily: Alright, who’s passing out the red and blue pills?**


	3. 'Hello, World!'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You looked up from your phone and out the window again, asking yourself the same question. You bit your lip in thought. You turned resolutely and took your place back by the door, listening. You’d be fine. You’d hear them coming. Just a few more minutes. Just until you knew what was going on.

**Lily: Alright, who’s passing out the red and blue pills?**

 

Next to your message, where before you had had a blank, featureless outline matching Unknown’s, there was now a picture of a single white lily.

“Fuckers,” you muttered under your breath.

There was a sound from down the hall, on the staircase. Your hand bolted to the door handle. Your glove gripped around the metal. You waited and listened, but the only sound after was the vibration of your phone as chat bubbles spammed down the screen almost too quickly to read.

 

**Yoosung: Gahhhh it’s talking!!**

**ZEN: So it’s not two smartphones.**

**Jumin Han: Who is it?**

**Yoosung: Find out what it is!**

**Jaehee Kang: How did you find out about this place? Where did you download the application?**

**707: Oh…^^; Wait.**

**707: Just found something. This is weird.**

**ZEN: What is it. Hurry and tell me.**

**707: I traced the IP…**

**707: It’s from Rika’s apartment.**

**Yoosung: Rika’s apartment?**

**Jumin Han: Where was it?**

**Jaehee Kang: The location is not revealed. I know it to be classified.**

 

_Classified_? You looked back over the room. What kind of a place was ‘classified’ and left untouched like this? You thought of the abandoned fake towns you had read about in textbooks, the ones built during the Cold War. The ones they tested nukes on.

Where the hell _were_ you?

**707: Anyways, someone must have broken into her apt.**

**707: It talked just now so it must be a person ^^;**

**Yoosung: So it hacked the program, Seven?**

**707: Yup**

**Lily: I resent that**

**Yoosung: Who are you?! How did you get into Rika’s apartment?!**

**Yoosung: How did you get this app?!**

**Yoosung: Gah~ So scared right now…**

 

The blonde’s emoji self bent down, collapsed by wavy lines of stress.

 

**Yoosung: I thought the apartment has a passworh lobk?**

**ZEN: Typo**

**Jaehee Kang: I assume it was a break in.**

**Jaehee Kang: Username “Lily”, I recommend that you confess.**

**ZEN: Jaehee, would you voluntarily confess to everything if it were you?**

**Jaehee Kang: No. But it is good to ask first.**

**707: Lolol**

**Jumin Han: Quit shitting around.**

**Jumin Han: Lily… Who are you?**

**Jumin Han: Reveal yourself, stranger.**

**Jumin Han: If you do not reveal yourself, you will pay.**

**Lily: Reveal myself?**

 

You snorted to yourself.

 

**Lily: Ok, but I charge $50 min, and touching is extra.**

**Lily: So, you’ll be the one paying.**

 

Two ellipse emojis appeared, from PowersuitTM and his mini corporate drone. God, they even had the same haircut. You smirked at their irritation. This could be fun after all.

 

**ZEN: Stranger you will pay? Lmfao**

**ZEN: omg~ *so scary*~**

**ZEN: It might be a girl.**

**Lily: One way to find out, but I haven’t been paid yet. :P**

**707: XD**

**707: That’s sexist lol. U should watch what you say now that ur a famous actor.**

**ZEN: I’m not famous;; just a bit recognizable.**

**Yoosung: Nah~ Look at the youtube hits~**

**ZEN: Dude. Stawp;;**

**707: lolol**

**Jaehee Kang: That video is still excellent no matter how many times I watch it.**

**Yoosung: Zen, when do you start your next piece?**

**ZEN: ;;Don’t know. It’s up to the director.**

 

You squinted your phone. The hell kind of criminals were these? If they wanted something from you, they were pretty bad at staying in the job.

 

**Yoosung: He’s a celebrity lol! I’m gonna tell everyone at school.**

**Jumin Han: Hey.**

**Jumin Han: Don’t get distracted.**

**Yoosung: Oh, right. Username Lily…**

**Jaehee Kang: …An abrupt stranger.**

**707: My hands r shaking as I hack.**

**Jumin Han: Who are you? Reveal yourself right now.**

**Yoosung: Yeees! Who are u?!**

**ZEN: Use proper language please.**

**707: If it doesn’t tell us anything I’ll hack in and find out.**

**ZEN: …Maybe**

**ZEN: one of my fans?**

 

A cartoon version of the suited man steamed angrily on your screen. Your smirk widened to a grin at its little red face.

**Lily: Mind your blood pressure, daddy.**

**Jumin Han: -___-**

**Lily: I’m Lily. Now who are you all and what the fuck is this place?**

**Jumin Han: How fierce.**

**707: Lol so awkward.**

**707: I thought it was a computer talking.**

**Lily: Oh boy! I pass the Turing test! Creator will be so proud.**

**Lily: Where do I collect the prize money?**

**707: LOOOL**

**ZEN: Are you a woman?**

**Lily: No I’m actually a flowering bulb.**

**707: Zen. Be more serious, plz?**

**707: And wait a sec on the woman thing.**

**707: Looking it up.**

 

His smug emoji hummed contentedly in the chat.

 

**Lily: Have fun with that, champ.**

**Jaehee Kang: Such a search violates privacy laws.**

**707: Ya. I’m only saying I’m looking it up.**

**707: No evidence that I’m actually hackginh.**

**Yoosung: Seven, that’s obviously a lie. lol**

**Yoosung: And I know that typo’s on purpose**

**Yoosung: Still…**

**Yoosung: Won’t they just tell us about themselves if we tell who we are first?**

**ZEN: To be honest…**

**ZEN: I agree with Yoosung.**

**Jumin Han: More like you want to show off who you are.**

**Yoosung: Should we… introduce ourselves?**

**Jumin Han: Are you serious…?**

**Jaehee Kang: I think it is a bit too early for that.**

**Lily: No, please do. Start with your credit card number and mother’s maiden name.**

You hadn’t given them anything more than your name, and it was already visible as your username anyway. If they wanted to show their hand you weren’t going to stop them.

**ZEN: Hi. I’m Zen. (24 yrs old) Musical actor… Don’t look me up on the internet.**

**Yoosung: Zen, you’re so brave!**

**Jumin Han: Guess he wanted to show himself off.**

**Zen: No way~!**

 

A picture appeared in chat of a young man in a fitted light blue shirt. His long white hair was gathered up into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, with short wispy pieces artfully framing his striking red eyes. The top button of his shirt was left undone, revealing just a few extra centimeters of alabaster skin. The man smiled gently at something just off camera with his hand on his chin, as if lost in thought or a daydream. The gesture was clearly meant appear candid, but was absolutely posed in order to display the profile of his perfectly chiseled jawline.

He did want to show off.

 

**Yoosung: Omg… a photo too.**

**Jaehee: My eyes have been cleansed.**

Assistantbot’s emoji lowered its glasses, eyes sparkling appreciatively. 

 

**Jaehee Kang: Wait. I can’t be like this…**

**Jumin Han: I see that he has zero sense of privacy.**

**Lily: His shirt wasn’t open THAT far**

**707: Lolol**

**707: My nickname’s 707.**

**707: Real name is a secret.**

**707: Fyi, Zen’s real name is Hyun Ryu.**

**ZEN: Your name’s a secret but not mine?;;**

**707: U don’t care anyways lol.**

**Jaehee Kang: 707 does of the strangest name so I understand the secrecy.**

**707: The name’s too holy to be spread around~ I’m gonna pray after I finish hacking**

**ZEN: Pray, yeah right;;**

**707: Just remember me as the 22yr old young hacker lol**

**707: Where I live is also a secret.**

**ZEN: So many secrets;;**

_Too_ many, you thought as your eyes narrowed at the redhead’s profile picture. But one thing was starting to get a little clearer…

**Yoosung: I’m Yoosung Kim! I’m a college student… 21 yrs old.**

**Jumin Han: I don’t know why everybody’s introducing themselves. You don’t even know who that person is.**

**Lily: Says the guy with his full name and picture in his profile.**

Another photo filled the chat. A sweet faced boy smiled at you from your screen, his arm outstretched as he took the photo of himself. The last traces of puppy fat clung stubbornly to his cheeks, rounding them as he grinned. Crossed bobby pins kept the bangs of his blond hair parted to the side, and out of his soft violet eyes. On his well worn teal hoodie there was a pin with the letters LOLOL printed on it.

**707: So warm and fuzzy here**

**ZEN: Lol. Seven, you don’t have any selfies to show?**

**707: Nothing recent.**

Your thoughts went to the photo of the young man Unknown had sent you. A handsome face with dark hair, and green eyes. Sure he didn’t.

**707: Oh and also!**

**707: Jumin’s the heir of a pretty famous corporation and Jaehee is his assistant. 27 and 26 years old respectively.**

**707: You have a better sense of who we are now, Lily?**

**Lily: You actually gave your names and pictures to a complete stranger on the internet**

**Lily: Wild**

**Jumin Han: Why did you say that..?**

**707: Doubted you’d do it urself.**

**Jumin Han: Stop shitting around.**

**707: Oh, fyi, Jumin has the cutest cat.**

**Jumin Han: Hey.**

**Jumin Han: Why are we talking about Elizabeth the 3rd with a stranger?**

**707: The cat’s name is Elizabeth the 3rd.**

 

You felt your cheeks heat just the slightest at the image on your screen. A gorgeous white Persian bent its fluffy head down to down to eat out of a silvery metal bowl. Its fur was so silky you could see the light reflecting off it. Beside the cat crouched a man in an impeccably tailored suit. His dark hair fell into his face, but it didn’t hide the unmistakable affection in his deep black eyes as he stroked the feline. God, it had to be like petting a cloud…

 

**707: Oh. U already said lol.**

**Yoosung: That info’s a bit useless…**

**Yoosung: We’re not even close with this Lily person yet lol**

**Jumin Han: Can’t believe he showed a photo of Elizabeth the 3rd to a stranger…**

**Jumin Han: Idiot**

**Jumin Han: I know you came to my house the other day and harassed her. It’s all on CCTV.**

 

Another picture appeared of the fluffy cat. It was a grainy black and white still from a CCTV camera, but you could clearly recognize the man with messy hair and glasses. He held her ears while she stood hind legged in his lap, one paw pushing him away, tail alert with annoyance. If they were trying to soften you up or distract you with how precious that cat was, it wasn’t going to work.

 

**707: My precious privacy!**

**ZEN: Yeah since you care so much about privacy.**

**Lily: Right? It’s like you’re not even trying to hide, Unknown.**

**Lily: Knew that wasn’t you in the pic you sent me**

 

The redhead’s little cartoon glasses shattered as his emoji gasped in surprise.

 

**Jumin: Unknown?**

**Lily: Your friend dropped this app on my phone and sent me here**

**ZEN: Seven???**

**Jaehee Kang: The RFA messenger is strictly prohibited to nonmembers.**

**Yoosung: WHTA!?!**

**707: No way, guys!!!**

**Lily: When you ransomware somebody’s phone and send them to a creepy apartment, maybe don’t tell them you’re a hacker?**

**Lily: Knew you had a punchable face**

**707: I’m innocent!**

 

You scoffed at his pouting emoji, tearfully pounding his cartoon fists.

 

**Lily: What, I just met two religious hackers in the same day?**

**Lily: It’s your private app dude.**

**707: Another hacker…?!**

**Yoosung: !!!**

**707: A hacker! No way.**

**707: I have everything covered!**

**Yoosung: But…**

**Yoosung: How did you end up chatting with that person?**

**Lily: I thought we covered the hacker thing. He hacked me.**

**Jaehee Kang: I see.**

**Jaehee: Lily, you are… quite strange as well.**

**ZEN: Do you think this person’s a creep? No way.**

**707: Wait.**

**707: Do u have that person’s username or chat record?**

**Lily: It just said ‘Unknown’. The screen changed and the chat log got erased.**

**Lily: What do you wanna bet my screenshots got deleted too?**

You had started taking them just before you left, but your phone was just as unresponsive when you hit the buttons. You wouldn’t have been surprised if the screenshots never even captured. You were sure ‘707’ already knew this already, though. You didn’t buy his innocence for a minute.

**Jumin Han: Does the username not exist? Why is it ‘Unknown’?**

**ZEN: Maybe he just didn’t set a username?**

**707: I made it impossible to log in without setting a username.**

**707: Nothing’s in the log…**

**707: Hey, Lily. So he told you the password for the door lock?**

**Lily: Who the hell needs a 16 digit password, btw?**

**Jumin Han: I see…**

**Jumin Han: That ‘Unknown’ person could have dragged you into this.**

**Yoosung: Is she really in Rika’s apartment?**

**707: Yup. It’s for sure…**

**707: Anyways,**

**707: I should trace the person who distributed this app.**

**Lily: Yeah, look real hard.**

**Jaehee Kang: Could it be we have a security breach?**

**Jumin Han: If what she is saying is true.**

**Jaehee Kang: I think it would be a good idea to contact V.**

**707: Yeah. I think that’s a good idea.**

**707: I’ll call and explain everything.**

**Jumin Han: I can call.**

**707: Already on it lol**

**ZEN: Fast.**

**Yoosung: Seven seems to talk to V pretty often.**

**Jumin Han: I hope V comes and takes care of all of this.**

**ZEN: V’s too busy these days to come and chat… We’ll get to talk to him because of this~**

**Yoosung: We’re all busy. I don’t like that V’s the only one not coming.**

**ZEN: Well… that’s true…**

**Jaehee Kang: V should know that Lily is here so let’s just wait.**

**Jaehee Kang: Seven, are you calling him?**

**707: Ya**

**Yoosung: But shouldn’t we tell Lily what this chat room is for first?**

**Yoosung: She has to know how serious it is that she’s here!**

**Jumin Han: What’s more serious is that she’s in Rika’s apartment.**

**Lily: Still waiting to know what the hell this place is**

**Yoosung: That’s true…**

**Jaehee Kang: I am always ready to call the police.**

 

Your glove tightened around your phone. Was this the play? Stall you while they called the police or whoever this V was? You checked the hallway once more before you crossed the room to the window. You swore to yourself as you looked out through the rain spattered pane. You didn’t have a view of the front of the building. You wouldn’t be able to see if the police arrived or not.

 

**Yoosung: Jaehee’s scary T_T**

**Jumin Han: Until we figure out who Lily is**

**Jumin Han: I don’t want to reveal anything.**

**Jaehee Kang: I agree.**

**707: Wecan.**

**707: Sorry callingvandtypingwithonehand**

**Yoosung: Type after you finish the call.**

**707: Lookedintoownerofthedevice.**

**707: she’scutelol**

**Yoosung: You did a background check on her!? So Lily is definitely a girl?**

**Lily: He’s just fishing and I’m not falling for it**

**707: Lol, you went an address you got from a stranger on the internet**

**Jumin Han: Chatting with a stranger…**

**Jumin Han: How naïve**

**ZEN: So cute lol**

**ZEN: Went to an address from a chatting app lolol**

**Yoosung: Don’t listen to stangers~ The world is dangerous.**

**Jaehee: I agree.**

 

You gave your phone a disgusted look. That was just insult to injury. Your fingers sped up as you typed with annoyance.

 

**Lily: RANSOMWARE? Hello?**

**707: Especially for a girl**

**Jumin Han: It’s really a girl?**

**707: Ya.**

_V has entered the chat room_

**Zen: Show me a photo**

**707: Nope~**

**707: How dare you try to violate someone’s privacy like that.**

 

The hacker posted an image of a woman stepping out of a car. A lanyard with an ID badge hung around her stiff, well starched collar. Her pristine skirt and blazer didn’t even seem to crease as she climbed out of the vehicle. Sunglasses partially obscured the serious expression on her face. She had short brown hair and carried a thick purple binder under one arm. The woman wasn’t you.

 

**Jumin Han: ?**

**Zen: Is that Lily!?**

**Yoosung: omg I thought we were respecting her privacy?**

**Jaehee Kang: ;;;;;;**

**Jaehee Kang: That is a photo of me.**

**Yoosung: Oh right! Sorry I was too excited;;**

**Zen: So…sorry for not recognizing you ; ;**

**Jaehee Kang: Mr Han, you can’t recognize me either?**

**707: Lol. Can’t believe he doesn’t even recognize his own assistant.**

**Jumin Han: …**

**Jumin Han: Now what are we going to do?**

 

You looked up from your phone and out the window again, asking yourself the same question. You bit your lip in thought. You turned resolutely and took your place back by the door, listening. You’d be fine. You’d hear them coming. Just a few more minutes. Just until you knew what was going on.

 

**707: V’s coming here soon. He just hung up.**

**V: I’m already logged in.**

**707: Oh, V! You’re here ^_^**

**Zen: Finally he’s here**

**V: Yeah. I guess I’m the last one to know about this.**

**Jumin Han: Oh well.**

**V: How is everyone? Jaehee, you’ve been well?**

**Jaehee Kang: Yes. It’s been a long time, V.**

**Yoosung: Hey V**

**V: Hey.**

**V: Well, I heard about the situation.**

**V: Lily is currently in Rika’s apartment with info form a stranger and logged into this chatroom.**

**707: I told him everything on the phone.**

**Jumin Han: Who disclosed the password for Rika’s apartment?**

**V: Well. No one knew the password. I don’t even know.**

**Yoosung: …Thought V knew.**

**Yoosung: She never invited me to her apartment.**

**Jumin Han: It’s the same for everyone else.**

**Jumin Han: No one’s been there before.**

 

Reading the words on your screen stirred the unease growing at the back of your mind. You felt them like the damp from the rain outside. Your hand rested on the baton in your pocket. Whatever the hell this was, they put on a good show.

 

**Yoosung: Tell us the address. I’ll go there... I want to check who Lily is myself.**

**Yoosung: Seven, you know right? You traced the IP just now.**

**707: Uhm. Sorry but…**

**707: I can’t tell you that.**

**Yoosung: ? ?**

**Yousung: I’m her surviving family.**

**ZEN: Maybe because you’re just her cousin?**

**707: Not even her immediate family can go.**

**707: And the apartment doesn’t belong to Rika.**

**Yoosung: Then who?**

**V: Me.**

**Yoosung: You don’t even know the password!**

**V: I just respected her privacy.**

**Yoosung: …Were you really in a relationship with her?**

**Jumin Han: I can’t believe you never knew the password.**

**V: I’ve never even been there. I just know where it is.**

**V: Anyways, the apartment is in my name.**

**V: Rika usually worked there. There are a lot of documents in there that must not be damaged.**

**V: I can’t reveal the address because all the classified information about this organization is stored there, plus other sensitive materials.**

**Jumin Han: I didn’t know the place contained sensitive material.**

**Yoosung: You don’t trust us enough to let us go, right?**

**Jumin Han: Don’t take it personally. It’s better to be ignorant sometimes.**

**V: Yes, for the reason that Jumin said.**

 

Your brows narrowed as you read the chat. The more you learned the more suspicious all of this became, and the less you felt you actually knew.

 

**V: Anyways, I can’t tell you the address. I’m sorry.**

**Yoosung: Then how did Seven know that the address he traced is Rika’s apartment?**

**Jaehee Kang: Since he’s responsible for the organization’s classified information.**

**707: Yup. That’s true, but also I’m the one who developed this app.**

**707: Rika wanted to take care of some work through this too.**

**707: I went to her place to link the app with some of the documents in her computer.**

**Yoosung: Oh…**

**Jumin Han: I see.**

**V: Only Luciel and I know the address.**

**V: I repeat, since the information must be protected, please do not attempt to find the apartment.**

**V: Do not ask Lily about it and Lily, please do not reveal the address.**

**V: All the information there is classified.**

**V: Please do not touch anything there.**

**V: For example, if you try to force open one of the drawers…**

**V: The alarm will ring.**

 

Your eyes went back to desk where you had written down the password. Was that what was supposed to happen? Setting off the alarm looking for a piece of paper to leave a note with? And get caught by building security?

 

**Yoosung: What do we do about her apartment?**

**Yoosung: Can Lily stay there?**

**V: First…**

**V: No one here is going to go to Rika’s apartment, right?**

**V: Since the information there involves everyone around us, there might be trouble if we are not careful.**

**Jumin Han: Yeah yeah. You can stop explaining. Classified information. Got it.**

**Jumin Han: But it is a mystery how a complete stranger could end up at Rika’s apartment.**

**V: If it’s someone who knows the password…**

**V: It might be someone that Rika trusted.**

**Jumin Han: Someone Rika trusted?**

**V: I am only guessing…**

**707: So then that ‘Unknown’ person knew Rika?**

**707: I can’t believe she trusted someone more than V.**

**Yoosung: I don’t believe that. She couldn’t have trusted anyone more than us…**

**ZEN: That is… a bit surprising.**

**V: It’s hard to believe myself… But we shouldn’t assume that we knew everything about Rika.**

**V: She…**

**V: had a deep world of her own.**

**Yoosung: …**

**Jumin Han: …Anyways. V, continue.**

**V: If I am right,**

**V: Lily being at her apartment right now…**

**V: Rika must have wanted that.**

**Jumin Han: Rika called in a complete stranger from up in the sky?**

**V: I’m not saying she wanted Lily to be there… but maybe…**

**V: Rika wanted someone to do the work she did before.**

**V: At the place she worked before.**

**Jumin Han: What…?**

**ZEN: No way…**

 

You exhaled long and slow into the apartment. Oh _no_ …

 

**Jaehee Kang: The work Rika did before…**

**707: Hosting parties?**

**ZEN: You mean Rika’s party.**

**Yoosung: Do you really think… that Rika planned this?**

**Yoosung: If she made that decision while she was alive…**

**V: That’s my guess… but yes.**

**V: Since she didn’t leave a will.**

**V: According to the information Luciel provided, Lily doesn’t seem dangerous.**

 

You did not like where this was going. Not at all.

 

**Jumin Han: I’m not sure about this to be honest…**

**V: Besides… she’s basically in the same boat now that she knows about this messenger app.**

**V: Whoever she might be.**

**707: But still…**

**ZEN: If that’s what V thinks…**

**ZEN: I’ll agree to it but I don’t feel good about it…**

**Jumin Han: I still can’t understand or agree with this.**

**Jumin Han: I don’t understand… why you would even make that guess.**

**707: If it’s what V thinks, I won’t oppose it.**

**707: Lily must be going crazy with how things are going rn lol**

**Lily: I’m fine. You're all nuts.**

**Yoosung: …I think I _am_ going crazy.**

**Yoosung: I can’t believe there was something I didn’t know about Rika…**

**ZEN: Yeah… You two were really close.**

**Jumin Han: Not as close as V was.**

**Yoosung: …**

**ZEN: Jumin you jerk, how could you be so harsh on Yoosung;;**

**Jaehee Kang: Wait…**

**Jaehee Kang: I understand… that everyone values V’s opinion.**

**Jaehee Kang: But…**

**Jaehee Kang: If I may say so, I think that we must verify what Lily has said.**

**Jaehee Kang: For all we know, Lily could have simply made up that ‘Unknown’ person.**

**707: I feel like Jaehee’s glasses are glinting right now.**

 

You glared at the redhead’s profile picture. Unknown was made up all right, but not by you.

 

**Jaehee Kang: ?**

**V: Thank you for your opinion, Jaehee.**

**V: But right now, I would appreciate it if you could trust me.**

**V: If Lily is not to be trusted, we can deal with it then.**

**Jumin Han: Hmm.**

**Jumin Han: I don’t agree with you… but I’ll follow your decision.**

**Jaehee Kang: If that is what Mr. Han thinks, then I will accede as well.**

**707: Now then~**

****707: Shouldn’t we... explain to Lily about the RFA?** **

 

**Author's Note:**

> Because we all deserve an MC that doesn't cry at the sight of a cockroach.


End file.
